


it's to you i will always return

by brookethenerd



Category: Eyewitness (US TV)
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, M/M, Thanksgiving Dinner, cute shit basically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 18:20:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8763952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brookethenerd/pseuds/brookethenerd
Summary: thanksgiving with all of the favs





	

If Philip had a real thanksgiving, he doesn’t remember it. The thanksgiving’s he spent with his mother weren’t much of a holiday at all. She might get a baked chicken at the store, but not much else, seeing as she used most of the money they had for drugs. And when he was in the system, there were often too many kids around to have a proper meal.

But Gabe and Helen celebrate Thanksgiving, and from the way it’s looking, they do it big.

Gabe dragged Philip out of bed at 7 am and had him start on the casserole; it was the first time he’d ever baked anything that didn’t come out of a box, so he was a bit unsure. Helen started the turkey, and Gabe helped; Helen was pretty much forcedly removed from the kitchen, and took the duty of cleaning up while Gabe taught Philip to cook.

The doorbell rings the first time at 4. Seeing as Gabe has his hands inside a dead bird, Philip is attempting to mash cranberries, and Helen is barred from the kitchen, she answers the door.

A moment later Kamilah comes in, balancing Jake in one arm and two big dishes in the other. Helen takes the dishes, and sets them on the counter.

“Uh-thanks for inviting us. We went to see my sister in the hospital this morning, but…”

“But that’s no place for a holiday.” Helen says. Kamilah nods, and Jake makes a noise. She smiles down at him, and Philip notices the uncertainty she has around him. Like she doesn’t really know what she’s doing, so everything Jake does is to be inspected.

Jake smiles toothily at Helen, and when she gestures for him, Kamilah hands him off with a grateful smile.

“I can help with anything, uh, if you need it.” She says.

Gabe looks back, nodding.

“Wanna take over the stuffing?” He asks. Kamilah nods, grateful for something to do, and rushes to the sink to wash her hands.

Helen takes Jake over to the radio, and turns it on, flipping it to some 90’s station, and starting to dance.

“So, you’ll dance with a baby, but not me?” Gabe asks, feigning offense. Helen smiles, and lifts Jake, cooing at him. She turns him in a circle, shuffling him, and he giggles.

“He’s a good dancer.” Helen says.

Gabe meets Philip’s eyes, and Philip smiles.

“Women.” He mouths. Philip’s smile widens, and he looks back down.

“You’re lucky you won’t have to deal with one.” He says.

“You talking bad about me over there?” Helen calls.

“Course not.” Gabe says, winking at Philip.

Once Philip has somewhat-successfully massacred the cranberries into something that could be considered sauce, Gabe sends him upstairs to change and clean up. Helen goes to get something that they forgot for the chicken, leaving Kamilah and Gabe to wrangle the food.

Philip ends up picking one of the nice button downs Gabe bought for him, but has never worn. He attempts to mess with his hair, but it’s stubborn in its ways, and ends up doing what it always does, flopping whichever way it wants.

The doorbell rings again, and Gabe calls for Philip to get it.

He wasn’t expecting anyone else, so when he opens the door and finds his mother standing beside Helen, he’s so shocked he doesn’t know what to do.

“Happy thanksgiving, love.” Anne says with a smile. Philip’s eyes go wide with shock, and he wraps her in a hug, burying his face in her hair. She laughs, and hugs him back, her thing arms holding him tightly.

“How are you here?” He asks, pulling out of her arms. She smiles, shrugging shyly.

“Helen broke me out for the day.”

“It was completely legal.” Helen says.

“Thank you.” Philip says, looking at Helen. She reaches out, mussing his hair, before pushing past him and into the kitchen. Anne comes in, and wraps an arm around Philip, pulling him with her into the house.

“How are you doing?” He asks. She reaches up, touching his cheek with a smile.

“I’m good. It’s hard, but I’m good.” She says.

She lets him go, and goes to see Kamilah and Jake. She picks up Jake, who takes to her curly hair immediately, and starts to tug on it.

He stands in the doorway watching them, a weird feeling in his belly. He’s happy in a way he didn’t know he could be. He feels like he belongs, like this is where he’s supposed to be. It’s not a familiar feeling for Philip, and he holds onto it, trying to commit it to memory.

Once the food is finished, they all cart it to the table, grabbing extra chairs and pulling them up. The table is stuffed with food, with barely enough room for their plates.

Helen pours wine for everyone but Philip, whom she gives a can of his favorite soda. He makes a face, and she shakes her head, pouring a bit of wine into his own glass.

“He didn’t even have to say anything, and you caved.” Gabe says.

“It’s the baby face. Makes you listen to him.” Anne says.

“I don’t have a baby face.” Philip protests.

The meal officially starts when Jake, from his makeshift high chair, smacks his hand into his little bit of mashed potatoes. Philip listens more than he talks, hearing stories about thanksgivings when the adults were little and just plain funny stories.

Halfway through the meal the doorbell rings again. Everyone goes quiet; no one else was invited, as far as Philip knows.

“Ill get it.” Anne says, pushing back from her chair. Gabe and Helen exchange a look, a silent conversation happening. He shakes his head lightly, and Helen looks towards the door.

A moment later, Anne returns with someone at her side.

Lukas, in a white shirt and a tie, looking nervous. He licks his lips, and looks around the room.

Philip stands up, not looking at Gabe or Helen, because they likely want an explanation, and he doesn’t really have one.

“My uh-my dad and I-he didn’t really-he didn’t want me to-I didn’t have-“

“We’ll get you a chair.” Gabe says. Lukas lets out a breath, obviously relieved to not have to give the full reason in font of a table of people. Gabe leaves and comes back with a chair, which he pulls up right beside Philip at the end of the table. With flushed cheeks, Lukas takes a seat. Gabe hands him a clean plate, and there’s only a moment of silence before the adults are talking again, the interruption forgotten.

“You okay?” Philip asks quietly, looking over at Lukas.

His brows twitch, but he nods.

“Just had to get out of there. Didn’t mean to interrupt you guys-“

“It’s okay. Really.”

Lukas frowns, and Philip loads his plate up.

“I don’t want to-“

“You’re not. Eat the damn turkey.” Philip says. Lukas gives him a small smile, and takes a bite.

The others ask Lukas questions, steering away from anything that could turn weird, and the tension visibly leaks out of him. By the time everyone’s plates are empty and their bellies are full, everyone is smiling and laughing.

Helen reaches back and turns up the radio, a huge smile on her face.

“I love this song!” She says.

“This?” Philip asks, face twisted. She gives him a look, and stands up, grabbing Gabe and pulling him.

“It’s a good song.” Kamilah says. Helen pulls Gabe to her, and they dance, smiling big, clumsy on their feet.

“I thought you knew how to dance!” Helen says.

“You’re the one stepping on my feet!” Gabe says. Kamilah stands up, picking Jake up. She pushes between Gabe and Helen, and hands Jake to Gabe.

“Let me show you how it’s done.” She says. Helen laughs, and takes Kamilah’s hands. The two twirl around the kitchen, while Gabe sways with Jake.

Anne stands up and comes around, grabbing onto Philip, pulling him up. Anne taught Philip to dance when he was little, but she leads anyways, twirling Philip and ducking under his arm. The song ends, and when the next one plays, Helen announces that she loves this song, too, and goes back to Gabe, handing Jake back to Kamilah.

It’s Mariah Carey in the worst way, and none of them are good at dancing, but everyone is doing it anyways. A few seconds into the song, Anne lets go of Philip, and reaches for Lukas. His lips part, and he’s about to protest, but Anne doesn’t let him. She pulls him up, and twirls him. Lukas laughs, and suddenly, his nervousness is gone, and he’s dancing around the kitchen with Philip’s mom. He watches them, that happy belonging feeling coming back.

Then Anne is pulling Lukas over to him, and handing Philip Lukas’ hands, and pushing them forward.

“Mom, I-“ Philip says. He looks up at Lukas, and for a moment, he’s sure Lukas is going to drop his hands and back up.

But then something amazing happens.

He doesn’t.

Instead of letting go, Lukas pulls Philip towards him. Philip steps on his feet, and Lukas grins.

“You really can’t dance, Philip.” Lukas says. Philip makes a face, and purposefully steps on Lukas’ toes, which only makes Lukas step on his. They don’t try any crazy moves, but Lukas doesn’t let go of his hands, and he doesn’t shy away any time their bodies bump together in the chaos.

For a few minutes, Philip dances with Lukas. It’s something he was convinced Lukas would never do; be seen doing something like this with other people around.

But Gabe and Helen are here, and Kamilah is here, and Anne is here, and Lukas still holds onto his hands like he’s not afraid to be seen doing it.

He’s happy. Deliriously happy.  

And when the song turns slow, and the others stop dancing and start to clean, dismissing the boys, Philip tugs Lukas upstairs and into his bedroom.

“What happened with your dad?” Philip asks, letting go of Lukas’ hand. Lukas goes over to Philip’s bed, and flops onto his back.

“He’s still pissed about me walking out on the sponsor. Took off and went to the diner for dinner.”

Philip sits down beside him, looking back at him. He reaches back and tugs on his tie.

“I’ve never seen you in anything but flannel.”

“Ive never seen you in anything with buttons.”

“Asshole.”

“You’re the asshole.”

“Oh, am I?” Lukas asks, reaching out and grabbing Philip by the collar of his shirt. Philip grins, and swings a leg over Lukas waist, straddling him. Lukas sits up, Philip in his lap, and reaches up, flicking the hair off his face.

“Your hair is always messy.” Lukas says.

“Helen keeps bugging me to cut it.”

Lukas shakes his head, and runs his fingers through Philip’s hair, sending a spark down his spine.

“You danced with me in front of people. People we know.”

“Quite observant, Philip.”

“Is Rick Anderton making an appearance?”

Lukas’ lips curl up in a sly smile, and he shakes his head, leaning in until his nose bumps Philip’s.

“Nope. That was all me.”

“Lukas Waldenbeck? You sure?”

Lukas nods, and with a twist of his arm, flips Philip beneath him, an amused look on his face.

“I’ll probably regret it tomorrow.”

“But now?” Philip asks.

“Definitely not right now.” Lukas says. Philip barely has time to take a breath before Lukas presses his lips to his, hands settling on the sides of Lukas’ neck. Lukas’ shirt is tucked into his pants, but Philip manages to tug it up, warm hands sliding beneath the fabric and onto Lukas’ stomach. His breath hitches, and he kisses Philip harder, lips parting against his.

A knock on Philip’s door makes them spring apart. In the frantic attempt to get separated, Lukas topples onto the floor.

A moment later Anne pokes her head in, a knowing smile on her face. She sees the state of Philip’s hair, and Lukas on the floor, and they both know that she knows.

Instead of commenting on it, though, she says, “Pie downstairs.”

The boys get up quickly, Lukas shoving his shirt back in, Philip redoing his buttons.

The others probably know what they were doing too, seeing as both their lips are pink and their shirts are wrinkled, but no one says anything when they sit down on the porch with pie on their plates.

Lukas and Philip sit beside each other on the steps with their pinkies linked, and Kamilah starts to sing on the guitar Helen had in the attic, and the stars twinkle above them, and Philip belongs, he belongs, he belongs.


End file.
